If I Die Young
by IcarusWing
Summary: "Don't cry, West," says Prussia, wiping away the tear that Germany hadn't even realized had fallen. "You're too awesome for that." Everyone has their time. Song fic for "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry. One shot.


**A/N: I'll have you know I nearly died writing this, I couldn't make it long enough to fit all the lyrics, but… the song is If I Die Young by The Band Perry.**

* * *

_CRASH._

Germany freezes at the sound, setting down his wrench as he runs out of the garage and into his house.

"Prussia?" he calls, his voice higher than it usually is as he pokes his head around various corners.

He finds him in his bedroom, hunched over beside is bed, clutching his stomach with one hand with the other over his mouth, next to what used to be a glass of water that's shattered on the hard wood.

"Bruder, are you okay?" he asks, panic rising.

"I-I tripped," says Prussia, but he refuses to turn around.

Germany puts a hand on his shoulder and crouches next to him, looking at his face. He's deathly pale, even for him, and as he takes his hand and removes it from his face, the sight of blood sends a jolt down his spine.

"Bruder—get on the bed—" he says. The world is a blur and his hands are shaking as he helps him up, running to the adjoined bathroom to fetch him a new glass. "Drink…"

Prussia takes a sip and grimaces as he swallows. "Tastes like iron," he says, but drinks the rest anyway, coughing slightly and leaning up.

Germany puts his hands behind his back to support him. "Bruder—you aren't—you can't be—"

"I've told you," _cough, _"a thousand times to call me East."

_If I die young_

_Bury me in satin_

"Prussia," says Germany instead, taking is hand and squeezing much too tightly. "You're not really… really…"

"You knew I'd have to go some day," he sighs.

_Lay me down _

_On a bed of roses_

"You can't do this," he says, damning the thickness of his voice, the unpleasant feeling in his eyes and the cloudiness of his vision, the trembling that just won't stop.

_Sink me in the river_

_At dawn_

"Hey there," says Prussia, his voice much gentler than it usually is. "Don't cry, you're too awesome for that." It's when he wipes the tears away that Germany realizes they're there in the first place.

_Send me away to the words of a love song_

It had been so long since he had last cried that he couldn't even remember what it felt like. He hadn't cried when he mindlessly killed and killed for a cause he didn't believe in. He hadn't cried when Italy had left him for his enemies, or when his boss had took the easy way out and left him at the mercy of the people who hated him most. No, he hadn't cried, because he hadn't been alone. Prussia, who always joked, Prussia, who blew things off, Prussia, who could laugh and smile even in the midst of war. Prussia, who he had always looked up to, who had always stood so tall and proud regardless of the situation. Prussia, who had always been there for him, who never left his side, even when the entire world was against them.

_Lord, make me a rainbow_

_I'll shine down on my mother_

And seeing the man who raised him lying, weak, dying, makes him suddenly feel very alone.

"We have to call somebody, everybody let them know so they can—"

"No," says Prussia. His voice is firm. "I don't want anyone else to see me like this. I want them to remember me as I was at my greatest. This sort of face isn't awesome at all."

_She'll know I'm safe with You _

_When she stands under my colors_

"Please don't go," Germany asks, his voice warbling like it never had before. He cursed himself for sounding like a child.

_And life ain't always what you think it ought to be_

_Ain't even grey, but she buries her baby_

"It's alright, West," says Prussia, touching his face, stroking his hair. "As long as you're still you and I'm still me, even death can't separate us. You just have to make sure you never lose your way, _ja_? Always keep your goals in sight… and never look back, even for an instant…"

_The sharp knife of a short life_

_Well, I've had just enough time_

"Bruder, you're crying too," says Germany.

"Am not," he scoffs, even as the tears fall down his face and his voice cracks. "Hey, hand me my phone," he says.

_If I die young_

_Bury me in satin_

Germany obeys, and he types for a few minutes before he releases the device and allowing it to fall to the bed. "Glad I got that over with," he says.

"What was that?" asks Germany.

_Lay me down _

_On a bed of roses_

"Nothing," says Prussia, looking up at him. "When did you get so big, West? I remember when you were so small that you barely came up to my knee. You were always so serious, even then," he sighs. "Smile for me, would you?"

_Sink me in the river_

_At dawn_

"H-how can I smile at a time like this?" he asks, through gritted teeth.

_Send me away to the words of a love song_

"I'm smiling, see?" he says, pointing to his face. And indeed he is, between twin rows of glistening tears. "Come on, try, won't you? Your smiling face is the best."

_The sharp knife of a short life_

_But I've had just enough time_

Germany turns his lips upwards, and his chest constricts as he chokes out a sob. "I never understood how you could always be so carefree."

"I'm too awesome to be daunted by such a thing as life," says Prussia.

_If I die young_

_Bury me in satin_

And suddenly he coughs again, this time more blood coming from between his lips.

_Lay me down_

_On a bed of roses_

"Oh, boy," he says, laying his head back against the pillows. "I guess it's finally time. I'll tell grandpa you said hi, okay? And Italy's grandpa, too. I'll tell them how well you're doing. I'll tell them how tall and strong you've gotten," he says, and his voice is fading and cracking as his eyes become dimmer, or maybe that's just the tears clouding them as they fill and overflow and fill once again. "I'm… happy that I got to be your big… bruder…"

_Sink me in the river_

_At dawn_

And with those final words his eyes dim and close, his grip growing slack in Germany's hand. And Germany, who has held himself together, finally bends his head and allows the sobs to finally break free and wreak havoc throughout his body, his tears dripping onto the hand he still holds with his own two. "Bruder," he whispers once more, before he loses himself in his grief.

_Send me away with the words of a love song._

* * *

_Prussia's Blog_

_Post 937_

_Hey, everyone. I guess that time has finally come, hasn't it? It's time for the Awesome Me to leave this world and deprive you of my presence. Your loss, huh? Don't be too sad, though. You were all pretty awesome. Italy and Romano, eat some pasta for me when you can, will you? Make it just the way I liked it, with little pieces of wurst mixed in. Japan, you've gotta make a manga just about my awesomeness, and make sure the whole world reads it so they can't forget. France and Spain, don't miss me too much. I know we never got to go on that world tour of strip clubs that we were planning, but you two have to make sure to go for my sake, okay? Austria, make sure to keep your underpants in the drawer, and don't leave them under your bed or on your book shelf! That's weird! And finally Hungary. I may not have ever told you this, but I always did think you were pretty awesome. Never let anyone take that from you, okay?_

_You all better be nice to my little brother. If I hear about any of you taking advantage of him while I'm not around I'll come back as a ghost just to haunt you. I can do that you know._

_I guess this is the last time we'll be seeing each other for a while. Keep me in your thoughts, but don't be held back by the past._

_The Awesomeness Formerly Known As Prussia, signing off for the final time._

* * *

**A/N: Wish I could have fit all the lyrics… Prussia… D: The underpants thing with Austria is from Prussia's Cleaning Game, by the way, which I got majorly distracted by while writing this... yeah...**


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